5 Surprising Facts about Flow State
See how much you know about flow – the sweet spot between creative skill, challenge, and satisfaction.
Welcome (or welcome back!) to Multifaceted, a digital magazine about finding delight and direction in a creative life made up of many different interests.
(Pssst… If you took a break to puzzle over last week’s crossword puzzle, here’s the answer key!)
Flow state. That experience where you’re so immersed in a task or creative project that the world around you just melts away. You stop experiencing time. You’re oblivious to your grumbling tummy. Even the pesky to-dos and worries of the day seem to vanish for a spell.
Suddenly, you step back and realize you created something pretty cool. (And, yikes, it’s 1:45 AM and you completely forgot to eat dinner!)
That’s flow state in a nutshell.
For folks who routinely engage in creative or challenging tasks they love, flow is the sweet spot between skill, productivity, and satisfaction.
You’ve probably been “in the zone” before, but how much do you really know about flow?
I didn’t know all that much initially – but I knew I loved being in flow state. And I knew I’d enjoy doing a bit of digging to better understand this creative sweet spot – especially given this month’s focus on the sweetest things.
And I knew I’d enjoy doing a bit of digging to better understand this creative sweet spot as part of the July issue of Multifaceted, given its focus on the sweetest things."
My curiosity about this fascinating phenomenon led me to discover a flurry of fun facts about flow – so here we go!
1. Flow state is considered “the secret to happiness”
Back in the 1970s, psychologist Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi coined the term “flow” while studying how artists got completely lost in their work.
He described flow as a state where a person is so immersed in an activity that everything else fades away, leading to a deep level of engagement and satisfaction.
According to Csíkszentmihályi, experiencing flow is essential to our overall well-being. He even considered it “the secret to happiness.”
Over the years, Csíkszentmihályi’s pioneering work in the field of positive psychology has advanced our understanding of what makes life fulfilling. His research on flow shows that cultivating these moments of pure creativity is a powerful way to enhance happiness and quality of life.
2. It occurs when your skill and the challenge are perfectly matched
One of the most important factors in achieving flow is the alignment between your skill level and the degree of difficulty your activity presents.
If a task is too easy, you’ll get bored and disengaged. If it’s too difficult, stress and frustration can take over.
Flow happens in that perfect sweet spot where the challenge is just right – it's neither too easy nor too tough, and you have the skills to meet it head-on.
Facing a moderately tough challenge with a high skill level stretches your abilities, keeping you immersed without feeling overwhelmed. This balance makes the activity intrinsically rewarding and keeps you hooked, resulting in the deep focus and immense satisfaction that flow is famous for.
3. Nine neat things happen in every flow experience
Whether you’re working on a massive mural or a tiny tatting task, you can expect certain things to happen in your psyche once you get in the zone.
According to Csíkszentmihályi and his fellow experts, here are the experiences that characterize flow state:
You enter a deep concentration: During flow, you’re intensely focused on the task at hand.
You experience action-awareness merging: Your mind doesn’t wander off to the past or future while you’re in flow state. Instead, your attention will be completely synced up with your actions in the present.
You lose all self-consciousness: Everyday worries take a backseat during flow. You forget all about your ego and related concerns like how you look or what people think of you. You’re too in the zone to hear those little voices.
You feel totally in command: Even though you’re working through a challenging task, you feel empowered to skilfully navigate whatever comes your way.
You lose track of time: When you’re in the zone, you experience the passage of time in a distorted way. Hours feel like minutes as you chug along with your project.
You feel intrinsically rewarded: A task done in flow state brings you tangible joy and satisfaction – not because of external rewards or recognition, but because the work is inherently fulfilling and interesting.
You receive and respond to feedback from the activity itself: Being so deeply engaged with the task allows you to gather instant feedback from within the creative process. You’re attuned to what’s working and what needs adjusting as you go.
You know you can succeed: Your skills and the challenge or task are perfectly matched, giving you confidence in your potential to achieve your goals.
You forget about other basic needs: In flow, you’re so deeply engrossed in what you’re doing that basic needs like eating and sleeping completely slip your mind. Your mind and body prioritize the task at hand over everything else.
4. The experience transcends disciplines
Flow isn’t just for artists and creatives – it’s everywhere!
It’s shared by athletes pushing their limits, writers crafting their novels, chefs experimenting in the kitchen, and even gamers immersed in virtual worlds.
This amazing universal experience shows us we’re not all that different at the core, no matter our passions. Folks across different fields and cultures might know flow state by different names – like “the zone” (for athletes) or “the groove” (for musicians).
But the experience of getting completely lost in doing what you love feels the same for all of us.
5. It’s better in good company
When you’re in that perfect skill-meets-challenge headspace on your own, it’s one thing. But when you layer in collaboration with people who share your passion, skill level, and commitment, the results are amplified.
Research shows that we consider “social flow experiences” more enjoyable than “solitary flow experiences.” Activities like running a theatrical show, playing in a band, or practicing a team sport can sync up the group to achieve peak performance and enjoyment.
Plus, there’s an extra dimension of connection and community that you won’t experience when you flow solo.
Whether you’re working alone or with your crew, leaning into this state of mind can lead to some of your most fulfilling creative moments.
Next time you find yourself lost in a task, just go with the flow – you’re in the middle of one of life’s sweetest experiences.
More this month from Multifaceted
Here’s what else you’ll find in the July issue, celebrating “the sweetest things”:
Guest Post | Stories about my love for baking, featured in While I Was Drawing (week 1)
Moodboard Mood | A crossword puzzle with a sweet, summery theme (week 2)
Creative Compass | All about flow state – the sweet spot for creative productivity and pleasure (this week!)
Studio Notes | An ode to the wild and wonderful grape vines in our garden (week 4)
Thanks for writing about such a fascinating topic. A discipline highly susceptible to solitary flow is mathematics. Often, after learning a new concept and applying it to solving problems, I'd look up at the clock and realize three hours just went by. I never experienced the group flow but I always think of rock musicians, jamming for countless hours to get just the right sound.
I've read and written about Csíkszentmihályi's work on flow. I didn't know about the group social flow but that makes so much sense. I say it benefits young people to be doing the thing that they love themselves when they do it surrounded by people witnessing them.